Wednesday, 13 June 2012

Week 24 - Youth Gone Wild!!! Tues 12 June 2012.... 
Sebastian Bach hits Belfast.... and it's it hard!!!

"21 years since I last played in Belfast.... That's along time... 21 years ? Man this guy was just a stain on his dad's pant's back then" Sebastian Bach eloquently  introduces his young six stringer Nick Sterling to a rampant Belfast audience hungry for a slice of nostalgic rock.... 

That's right folks tonight I was in Belfast's infamous Limelight club reliving my early teens and.... Sebastian Bach, the charismatic ex lead singer of the now defunct Skid Row, was in town and I had a ticket and my camera!!! a perfect combination...\m/

The setlist was classic Skid Row with some new material thrown in for good measure... all in all a great gig and a very enjoyable Tuesday night... My only gripe was the quality of the sound.... when will sound men realise that the with the high price of tickets honest gig goers deserves better quality sound - Bach's voice was lost for a significant proportion of the gig - which just isn't good enough... He still has the tone and the range of his youth but too many times during the night he was lost in the mix!!! I'm sure I wasn't the only disappointed fan

Bang, bang! Shoot 'em up... the party never ends
Sebastian Bach in full flow at the Limelight in Belfast
Your crime is time and it's  Eighteen and life you know... 
He walked the streets a soldier... and he fought the world alone
My nasty reputation gets me everywhere... 
Nick Sterling... young and talented
Another classic Bach pose
Acoustic spot from Nick
We are the youth gone wild  
We are the youth gone wild 
We're the one and one for all
My mate Jim with guitarist Nick Sterling after the gig!!







Saturday, 9 June 2012

Week 22 Peacock's at Annett's Garden Centre.Peacock's at Annett's Garden Centre.  

We took the kids out today to the park at Kilbroney in Rostrevor on the way back we called in at Annettes Garden Centre where the kids enjoyed the open farm and I picked up my chilli plants.... 
  
Peacock in full splendour
A second male peacock in full splendour
A broken tail feather on male peacock 



feather details... 
Processed in camera using the HDR filter!!


Week 22 Slieve Gullion & Ballymacdermot 
 Slieve Gullion & Ballymacdermot 






Week 21... Saturday  Carlingford Forest
Carlingford Forest  

We went out today in the beautiful Irish summer weather (which only lasted for about 10 days) and ended up in Carlingford.... before we dropped in on Carlingford, me and my girls went for a quick walk around the old forest trails on Carlingford mountain... I had no camera with me so suffice to say my HTC Desire camera  was called into action
My girls on Carlingford Mountain above the old forest drive

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Week 23... Wednesday 6 June 2012... Olympic fever strikes
The Olympic Torch reaches Newry

I thought to myself when I heard about the Olympic Torch relay that it was another one of Lord Coe's bright ideas that would cost a fortune and not really deliver - but as the time drew closer I knew I had to go and see it and bring the kids... I'm really glad I did there was a great festival feeling today in Newry... a sense of something special in the air... Let's hope.... 

The Olympic Torch at Newry Town Hall
BBC's Mark Simpson draws a crowd in Newry
BBC's Mark Simpson draws a crowd in Newry
My daughter during the celebrations
And the rains starts falling.... rain starts falling down....
And the rains starts falling.... rain starts falling down....
Our moment to shine?




It always amazes me how sporting events like the Olympics allow themselves to be
sponsored by fast food corporations like McDonalds!!! really? Come on....
think of the children... will someone please think of the children!!!!
(Maud Flanders 1999)



Week 23... Wednesday 6th June - The Olympic Torch arrives on the Lough!!! The Olympic Torch in Newry


On Tuesday night there was torrential rain falling all afternoon but I decided to head up to Pairc Esler to see the Torch arrive for the first of it's two visits to the City of Newry... I kept the camera in the bag until the last minute to ensure the terrible weather didn't cause too much trouble.... A Republican protest was putting a significant dampener on an already damp night!!! Just to make it worse when I opened the bag and took the camera out I pressed the button to find myself waiting for the shutter release... NO RELEASE!!!! and no memory card... I think this is what they technically call an EPIC FAIL

Luckily I had another shot at it on Wednesday!!
Laura Quinn holding the Olympic Flame at Newry Town Hall
Laura Quinn holding the Olympic Flame at Newry Town Hall
After finding the perfect spot to see Laura Quinn
a friendly BBC camera man stands in front of me!!
Laura Quinn with the Olympic Flame in Newry 
Carrying the Olympic Flame in Newry 
Carrying the Olympic Flame in Newry